Love and War

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Elena's POV

I spent the entire day out in the garden, away from everyone, savoring the quiet. I'd managed to slip past the palace guards and anyone likely to stop me. The air felt cool, and somehow, maybe miraculously, I was feeling so much better. The wound had barely hurt, and I could even walk without any sharp pains. It felt surreal, being here after everything from the night before.

As the sky began to darken, I decided to head back to my room. The silence had given me space to think about last night. So much had happened, and I could still feel Aiden's gaze from the night before, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to notice each word I said. Had I let too much slip?

Back in my room, I threw on something comfortable and flicked on the TV, hoping to drown out the thoughts clawing their way back up. Maybe tonight I could finally relax, maybe even get a good night's sleep.

But just as I settled in, the door clicked open. Aiden stood in the doorway, his face unreadable, but I could feel the tension hanging between us.

"Comfortable?" he asked, his voice cold, too casual.

I stiffened, meeting his gaze. "Yes, I am. What do you want?"

He closed the door behind him, walking closer until he was just a few feet away. "We need to talk, Elena. About what happened last night, and a few other things."

I kept my eyes on the screen, pretending he wasn't there. "There's nothing to talk about," I replied evenly. "Now go sleep in another room. I told you, we won't be sleeping in the same room anymore."

He didn't answer, just silently reached over and turned off the TV. I clenched my jaw, feeling the irritation bubble up as he moved to sit on the couch across from me, throwing me that cold, unreadable look.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Are you seriously going to sit there all night, staring at me?"

His expression didn't change, his gaze sharp and unyielding. "Believe me, I'd rather be anywhere else, but here we are. You seem to think you can make all the decisions. That ends now."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Oh, really? And who exactly gave you the right to dictate everything in my life?"

He raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "The minute you walked down that aisle and became my wife."

I laughed dryly, the sound harsh even to my own ears. "So that's what this is about? A title and a contract? Let's get one thing clear: I'm not some puppet you get to pull strings on whenever you want."

He tilted his head slightly, almost amused. "You've certainly proven that already, haven't you? But this rebellion of yours? I don't think you realize the stakes you're playing with."

"Try me," I shot back, the words sharper than I intended.

For a moment, he was silent, his gaze hardening. "Elena, you've already gotten far too close to things you don't understand. Things that aren't meant for you."

I kept my face steady, refusing to let any flicker of fear or guilt show. "If you're trying to intimidate me, you'll have to try harder than that."

"Oh, don't worry," he replied, his tone icy. "I fully intend to."

I narrowed my eyes, feeling the fire in my chest intensify. "I don't have time to play games with you, Aiden. If you have a point, just make it."

His gaze didn't waver as he said, "Fine. Then let's talk about Anna and Rosie."

The names hit me like a punch. My heart raced, but I kept my expression carefully controlled, raising a brow. "Who are they?"

Aiden's lips twisted into a cold smirk, his eyes never leaving mine. "You know exactly who they are. I watched as you helped them escape."